← ClaudeAtlas

learn-codebaselisted

Understand a codebase by reading its actual source, on GitHub or on disk: how a pattern is really implemented, an org's conventions, how two things are wired. Use for "how does <repo> do X". For published API docs prefer find-docs.
magnusrodseth/dotfiles · ★ 2 · Data & Documents · score 65
Install: claude install-skill magnusrodseth/dotfiles
# Learn a Codebase A **targeted search for one contextual answer** inside a repo's real source — not an onboarding. The job is to find the **needle in the haystack**: how to do X in framework Y, how to share state across X and Y, how self-service security is wired inside Gjensidige — whatever the surrounding task needs. Read only enough to trust the find. `find-docs` covers a named library's *published* docs (Context7). Use **this** for the *source itself*: internal patterns, org conventions, cross-repo how-X-is-really-done, and private repos with no docs. ## The spine ### 1. Pin the question State the one question the search must answer, in a sentence — the **north-star question**. If the surrounding task already implies it, use that. If you were handed a bare URL with no goal, ask one sharp question first; do not start a generic survey. This question is your completion criterion: you are done when you can answer **it** with citations, never when you "understand the repo." ### 2. Locate the code — check local first Cheapest source wins. In order: 1. **Working tree / open session sources** — already in front of you? Use it. 2. **Already on disk.** Org and work repos usually live at `~/dev/<owner>/<repo>` (e.g. `~/dev/gjensidige/<repo>`). Search, then confirm identity (a same-named dir is not the same repo): ```bash fd -t d -d 2 "^<repo>$" ~/dev git -C <hit> remote get-url origin # must match <owner>/<repo> ``` 3. **Learn cache** at `~/.learn-codeb